Barbara Bedell: Mural features Orange Co. Farm/Art Trail

After a full summer working on a 24-foot, three-panel mural for Soons Orchards in New Hampton, artist Nancy Reed Jones is more than delighted to see it finally finished for the public to enjoy.

Barbara Bedell

After a full summer working on a 24-foot, three-panel mural for Soons Orchards in New Hampton, artist Nancy Reed Jones is more than delighted to see it finally finished for the public to enjoy.

The resident of Walden is a member of the Wallkill River School of Art, and is the recent recipient of the Orange County Arts Council's Champion of the Arts award. In selecting Soons, a 103-year-old apple farm, Jones partnered with the Wallkill River School in cooperation with Orange County Tourism to develop a Farm/Art Trail. The trail will map a tour of 20 local farms that retail to the public.

The mural was funded by a grant from the county, administered by Orange Arts, which is part of Orange County Tourism.

Soons is a friendly and busy place where families have been coming for generations. On a recent day it was crowded with a local school tour of students who enjoyed learning about the farm, its fall harvest and its well-known cider and apples.

Among the apples is my favorite variety, Lady Jean. It's more than a versatile rosy fruit, slightly tart, and good for eating and cooking. It is named for a special friend, Jean Soons Strong of Goshen.

Her grandfather, William Soons, bought the farm, although he was a successful electrical engineer with a lovely home in the Bronx, which he sold. His wife, who loved the opera and all the city had to offer, never forgave him.

However, love for the farm stayed in the family. Their college-educated son, Sinclair, nicknamed "Bon," enjoyed the farm and even hybridized some of the apples that still grow there. In 1924, he named one of his creations after his precious young daughter he lovingly called "Lady Jean." The farm is now run by Jean's brother Art, and her nephew, Jeff. Her niece Sharon Soons is the retail operations director.

Through the years, the farmers have kept up with agricultural changes and

marketing programs, and the Lady Jean apple trees continue to produce rosy apples named for a special lady whose devoted husband, Bill, calls her "Lady Jean."

The Chabad Hebrew School in Goshen, directed by Rabbi Meir Borenstein, now offers two Hebrew School sessions for family convenience. Classes are from 10 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Sunday and 4-5 p.m. Monday.

During a recent session, the students learned about baking challah and its place on the Sabbath table. "The children are learning about the seven days of creation with the sabbath being the seventh day on which we rest, just as G-d did," said Borenstein. "Hands-on and fun, is how we run our education. Hebrew School is fun, just like Jewish camp."

For more information, visit chabadoc@aol.com.

Barbara Bedell's column appears daily. Reach her at 346-3125 or by email: bbedell@th-record.com.